Starring the voices of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson and Will Ferrell. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. It's easy to walk in with low expectations for "The Lego Movie," a film so saturated with product placement that every single scene doubles as a toy commercial. Adding to the cynicism is the early February release date, a time when quality family cinema is typically as plentiful as tulips on a freeway median. The movie is a wonderful surprise, cleverly written and executed brick by brick with a visual panache. Filled with humor and action, the Warner Bros. movie pulls off an emotional finish that rivals some of Pixar's best work. You can argue - and not sound completely crazy - that this is a better film than a few recent Academy Awards best picture nominees. There were early signs that "The Lego Movie" might rise above mediocrity. It was directed and written by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who seem to specialize in stealthily making quality films, including the charming "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and a satisfying film remake of "21 Jump Street."
Lego has a history of nurturing the brand; the company's video games have mostly been excellent in recent years. But the first big-screen animated Lego movie has the feel of a passion project - where smart people were given a lot of resources and allowed to execute the craziest thoughts that came to their head. "The Lego Movie" is a PG film, but its closest comparison is the work of "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The single musical number, "Everything Is Awesome," is so effective, you'll wonder why Lord and Miller didn't make more. "The Lego Movie" begins in the middle of a generic Lego city, where construction man Emmett (voiced by Chris Pratt) lives a lonely but upbeat life as one of the most boring Lego mini-figures. He is mistaken for a savior by love interest and rebel leader Wyldstyle, who is in a relationship with Batman. (That love triangle is one of many insider nods for Lego-loving kids and adults. As anyone who has played with the toy can tell you, a construction worker is at the bottom of the Lego caste system, while only Lego Boba Fett is cooler than Lego Batman.)
As the friends work to save the city from the schemes of conformist tyrant Lord Business, the movie settles into a nice blend of sly rapid-fire humor and over-the-top action sequences that all seem hatched from a 9-year-old's imagination. With plastic brick people instead of flesh and blood, the filmmakers and skilled animators at effects studio Animal Logic get a bit of a pass on the violent and racy content. If a real-life construction worker gets beheaded, it's unspeakably gory. A man photocopying his naked butt is lowbrow and obscene. When these things happen in the Lego world, it's kind of cute. Lord and Miller offer a lot for adults - from unexpected pop culture nods to a blink-and-you'll-miss-it joke about failed Lego play sets. But that humor is almost never patronizing. So many lazier family filmmakers have dropped a line from "Taxi Driver" or a double entendre, counting on the fact that the joke will sail over kids' heads. Part of the uniqueness of "The Lego Movie" is that children and their chaperones can enjoy it on pretty much the same level.
I felt a hint of worry about two-thirds of the way through the movie, realizing that the movie's high marks for style were not matched by its substance. For all its in-the-moment satire and entertainment, the lack of a human heart became harder and harder to ignore. That's the last and best surprise from the makers of "The Lego Movie." We shall say no more, except that the emotional finish exceeds the pleasures of the unexpected ending in "Frozen." This is becoming a welcome trend in kid-friendly films: making sure the adults walk home smiling as well.Skip to main content area The LEGO Movie 2: early details revealed It's still a puzzle as to why Chris Miller and Phil Lord's excellent The LEGO Movie was overlooked in the Best Animated Feature category at this year's Academy Awards. Although as we argued in this piece, it's won a greater prize than an Oscar already. Lots of people clearly continue to enjoy the film enormously. A screening of the film took place at the Santa Barbara Film Festival earlier this week, and the co-writers and directors took to the stage for a Q&A.
And when asked by one of the many children in the audience as to what's going to happen in The LEGO Movie 2, they did reveal a couple of details. The pair confirmed that the sequel will be set a few years after the ending of the original The LEGO Movie (as had been revealed last month), and that the focus is going to be on Emmett and his sister. Furthermore, it's going to take place in a "weird, dystopian version of Bricksburg". Currently, The LEGO Movie 2 is scheduled for 2018. Before that, of course, we're getting the LEGO Batman movie. Bet they won't give that a bloody Oscar, either. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.HomeMailFlickrTumblrNewsSportsFinanceCelebrityAnswersGroupsMobileListsDecember 8, 2014Not only was this the year of The Lego Movie, it was the year that fan-made Lego Movie homages really took off. Below, are five (okay, technically, six) of our favorite videos showcasing the cinematic possibilities of the humble brick.
Alien Chestburster Scene by Bricktease (February)This shot-for-shot remake of the iconic Alien scene retains a surprising amount of horror, considering that it’s created with permanently smiling Lego minifigs. Check out a side-by-side comparison with the original scene here. Famous Film Scenes in Lego by Morgan Spence (September)Teenage Lego genius Spence animated this collection of 13 great movie moments, from Singin’ in the Rain to Wayne’s World, as a promotion for the book by artist Warren Elsmore. There are , where the filmmaker explains that he made this whole thing in two weeks, while juggling schoolwork.Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailers by FinalFeature and Snooperking (November)We can’t decide between these two excellent Lego Star Wars teasers, both made within 48 hours of the official trailer premiere — let’s call it a T.I.E.Lego ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Trailer by Antonio Toscano (July)How could anyone resist a flower from Lego Groot? Here’s with the theatrical trailer.